Anyone with a valid Princeton Public Library card may request items through the ILL service. There is a limit of 15 active interlibrary loan requests per customer.
What materials may be borrowed though ILL?We will try to borrow any kind of material that is held by another library. We are most successful in borrowing books and photocopies of magazine articles. Libraries rarely loan whole copies of magazines to other libraries, but will sometimes loan reels of microfilm. We are less successful in borrowing videos, CDs and audio tapes because many (but not all) libraries restrict the use of these materials to their own patrons. But please do not hesitate to ask for anything that you want or need. We can often get hard to find items.
How much does ILL cost?There is a fee of $1.00 for any item obtained through ILL unless the loaning library charges us. In that case the charge to you is $15.00. However, we exhaust all free libraries before trying to borrow from the libraries that charge; and we always check with you first before requesting an item from a library that charges us.
If you need a magazine or journal article in a hurry, there are several large commercial vendors that can provide copies of articles, usually within 48 hours, for a charge. The prices vary according to item and vendor, but usually range from $15.00 to $40.00 per article. Check with a reference librarian for help with this.
Overdue Fees: Our usual overdue fee of $0.20 per day for books, CDs and audio tapes and $1.00 per day for videos applies to any ILL item that our patrons keep out beyond the item's due date.
How do I request an item through ILL?You may request an item in person at the reference desk, by calling the reference desk at 924-9529 (choose option #3), or by e-mailing the reference desk (refstaff@princetonlibrary.org). Include as much information about the item as you know. Also include your name, phone number and library card number.
What if I don't know the exact title or author of the item I want?Our reference librarians have many resources for helping you find exactly what you want, whether the item is a book, a journal article, or a piece of audiovisual material. Do not hesitate to ask a reference librarian to help you.
How long will it take to receive the item?This can vary widely, but usually averages between two and three weeks. Many factors affect the length of time it takes for you to get your item because we are dealing with many libraries and many different policies and work schedules. Delivery time within New Jersey is much faster than from out of state because we have a special ILL delivery system within the state.
If you need a magazine or journal article in a hurry, there are several large commercial vendors that can provide copies of articles, usually within 48 hours, for a charge. The prices vary according to item and vendor, but usually range from $15.00 to $40.00 per article. Check with a reference librarian for help with this.
How long may I keep the item?Unless the loaning library indicates otherwise, the loan period for books, audiobooks and CDs is four weeks. The loan period for DVDs and video cassettes is one week.
You will be told when you check out the ILL item if the loaning library has placed any restrictions on lending.
May I renew the item?We cannot renew items obtained through ILL. If you need the item for more time we can request it from another library.